ALDI SOUTH Group sustainability score: 35/100
Better than 43% of Retail (non-fashion)
Making progress starts at 46. The highest score on SINK is 71.
ALDI SOUTH Group is a German multinational discount supermarket chain operating over 10,000 stores across 11 countries. A major player in European retail with significant US expansion plans, it competes directly with Lidl and other discount grocers.
More about ALDI SOUTH Group
The company operates a vertically integrated supply chain with private-label focus.
Head office Ludwigsburg, GermanyStaff ~170,000Revenue ~€80BWebsite ↗
ALDI SOUTH has validated net-zero targets and eliminated 63% of operational emissions since 2016, but total Scope 3 emissions rose 18% in 2023 due to expansion. Growth-driven emission increases and greenwashing disputes over 'carbon neutral' claims undermine credibility despite genuine progress on renewable energy and waste reduction.
ALDI SOUTH Group scores 35/100 (Below expectations) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Nobody can pay to change a score, speed it up or hide it. Last verified May 2026.
That places ALDI SOUTH Group joint 572nd of 1,023 companies scored, and joint 30th of 54 in Retail (non-fashion).
What is ALDI SOUTH Group doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Targets & Commitments and Carbon Footprint: Operations (9/10, 8/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Water Impact (4/10, 4/10).
Where ALDI SOUTH Group lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
What would raise this score
- Whether its emissions are fallingShow a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- Its effect on waterMeasure its water footprint and set reduction targets.
- Its effect on natureMeasure its effect on nature and have it independently verified.
Every question that lost points
- Emissions from its own operations8/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain7/10No full value-chain map or supplier engagement programme.
- Whether its emissions are falling4/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is8/10Its own operations aren't shown to run on 100% renewable energy.
- Its effect on nature5/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste6/10No verified figures for reuse and recycling across the business.
- Its effect on water4/10No measured water footprint with reduction targets.
- Its climate targets9/10No validated long-term net zero target.
- How openly it reports6/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies6/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is ALDI SOUTH Group's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleWhat evidence is ALDI SOUTH Group's score based on?
18 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
56% of them were published by ALDI SOUTH Group itself; the rest come from independent sources.
Scored on 8 June 2026 under an earlier version of our method. We're re-checking it under the current method.
If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.
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How does ALDI SOUTH Group compare with other retail (non-fashion) companies?
Where ALDI SOUTH Group sits among retail (non-fashion) peers.
Among the 54 major retail (non-fashion) brands we've scored, ALDI SOUTH Group is tied =30th of 54, with 1 other.
Who scores higher in Retail (non-fashion)?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above ALDI SOUTH Group.
Tesco has credible operational decarbonization (65% Scope 1+2 reduction, 100% renewable electricity) but supply chain emissions—98% of its footprint—remain largely unquantified and unverified.
See the breakdown →Hobbycraft has delivered measurable progress on packaging reduction but remains fundamentally opaque on carbon emissions.
See the breakdown →Poundland operates with minimal emissions transparency and no supply chain carbon quantification despite acknowledging this is where most impacts occur.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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